


mom taught me how to shave

by boxofnothing



Series: six words is so not enough [1]
Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Study, Daddy Issues, Established Relationship, F/M, Father's Day, Future Fic, One Shot, Pre-Relationship, basically being mean to jake again, but only slightly - Freeform, it totally could be like this in the show if you squint, jake avoiding his feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-13 15:47:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15367950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boxofnothing/pseuds/boxofnothing
Summary: When your dad stops being your dad, Father's Day kinda just sucks. Jake learns how to deal with the fact that it sucks. But sometimes things happen and he kinda just has to face the fact that he doesn't really hate Father's Day but really the fact that his dad is just an asshole that wasn't there.or Amy doesn't know about Jake's dad and might say the wrong thing even though it was just a joke.





	mom taught me how to shave

**Author's Note:**

> ok so I kinda can't believe I'm posting again in like a week bc this does not happen for me. Like at all. But like my last fic kinda gave me the confidence I needed to say ok other people like how you write. You aren't complete shit.
> 
> Anyway I got this idea to do a series based on 6 word stories which if you don't know what they are. They're stories told in 6 words. Now when I write another one which I WILL (i've already started a draft for another one) I'll make the series like a legit series with a name and everything. but for now enjoy this angst I've written and enjoy.
> 
> M

> _mom taught me how to shave_

Father’s day was not a favorite day of Jake’s. He hadn’t been overly excited to jump on his dad’s chest since he was probably 7 years old. He does now but not for the kind of excited, happy reasons to make him breakfast in bed that he did when he was 7 (and even at that point, they were fading, and fading fast).

The day just kinda sucked.

When he was little he always felt angry that his dad wasn’t there for the Father’s day play. (He lied to his friends and himself saying that his dad had to fly from Albany to DC to make sure the president was in the White House for his kids. Because the president is more important than him.)

As he got older he tried to not let it hurt as much as it did when he was little but it still did.

By the time he was 16, he shrugged the holiday off like it was an ugly sweater. He’d been doing it for years and it was _easy_ . It was _normal._ He hated it and was grateful for it all at the same time.

He could just let the day slip through his fingers, easy as pie.

By the time he started at the nine-nine, he was a natural at letting Father’s Day not get to him. He lied and said his dad was always busy or he had to work (which he always did)  if he was asked about (which he wasn’t).

Father’s day was easy to let go of.

It was a few years later, when Terry was a new dad and Santiago had just transferred to the nine-nine. She was new and didn’t know really anything about him. She knew he annoyed the shit out of her, he was unprofessional, loved Die Hard way too much, and never wore a tie.

She didn’t know about  his dad. It wasn’t necessarily something he advertised but it wasn’t something he hid either. His dad was a dirtbag that left him and his mom for something better. It sucked but it was the truth. He was over it. He tried not to dwell and he always tried to make his misfortune of having a shitty dad something people around him could build upon.

So he always worked on Father’s Day.

It was an easy choice for him.

So easy. Work made him not think about the fact that he should be spending the day with his dad. Work made him busy and focused his mind somewhere else. He didn’t think about all the missed chances at splendid memories with his dad.

McGintley knew that even if he didn’t schedule Jake, that Jake would be in the precinct that day. It took him about 2 years to figure out that just scheduling him on Father’s Day was better for everyone.

When Holt showed up, Jake just decided to tell him to schedule him on Father’s Day. He looked him up and down looking like he wanted to say something but ultimately chose against it.

With all the years that he and Amy were partnered, she never worked on Father’s Day. He thinks she always asked for the day off because she and her father were actually close. Her father actually cared about his child enough to want to spend the whole day with her and likewise.

It wasn’t until one Father’s Day about three years into their partnership and four and a half months into Holt’s reign that she finally worked a Father’s Day. When she was asked about it at the bar the Friday before she said, “My Dad’s visiting my brother in Washington DC this year. I can’t afford the time off to take the trip so we agreed to meet up when he gets back.”

She acted so nonchalant about it. She and her Dad could just get lunch when he got back. It was no big deal. Jake thought about what it would be like to just meet up for lunch or dinner with his dad. That would be a deal. A great big deal.

On Father’s Day that year he woke up late. It was a genuine accident. He never likes to be at home longer than he has to on this day. But his alarm didn’t go off and like then he realized he woke up with a little more stubble than he thought he’d have so he had to shave. He quickly lathered his face with shaving cream and quickly shaved.

He’d mastered the art of shaving supremely fast because this wasn’t his first time being late. He wasn’t exactly known for being on time, ok. He expertly pulled the razor down his face. A few clean swipes and he was good. It was quick and expert, which was mainly why he didn’t even notice he had nicked his chin.

It wasn’t until he brought the wet washcloth to his face that he noticed the small cut bleeding on his chin.

“Shit,” he swore as he grabbed a piece of toilet paper and ripped a piece small enough to dab at the blood. He stuck it to his face and ran out of the bathroom not even giving it a second thought.

He threw on a plaid shirt over his undershirt and haphazardly tied a tie around his neck.

He grabbed his leather jacket and his keys and rushed out of the apartment without a single thought besides the fact he was late and Holt was going to wring his neck for it.

* * *

By the time he sat down at his desk across from Amy, all he was thinking about was how he actually managed to make it to the precinct before 9:30 considering he had to battle rush hour traffic in Brooklyn with a car.

“Hey,” He gives Amy a slight nod and starts to log into the database to start his paperwork he decided he wasn’t going to do yesterday.

“So, Peralta,” Amy says looking straight at him. He knew something was coming, some witty remark about him being late or his desk being dirtier than a garbage dump. She had her signature ‘I’ve got you now Peralta face’.

“What is it Santiago?"

“Do you not know how to shave?”

“What?”

“You have a large amount of blood smeared on your face from what appears to be a small shaving cut on your chin.” He runs his hand over his chin to bring back some dried blood and the small piece of paper towel from earlier.

“I was just running late and guess I nicked myself.”

“What no witty retort today? Did your dad not teach you how to shave?”

His blood instantly runs cold. He knows she doesn’t know and he knows it’s not her fault it stings a little more today than any other day. He knows it’s not fair to take it out on her.

So he keeps his cool. He stays calm and collected. But he chooses to stay calm. Keeps his eyes focused because today is not the day he’s going to let it get him.

“Mom taught me how to shave.” He says, keeping his eyes focused on the computer screen and his paperwork. He knows that shut her up but as much as he wants to let it drop he hates this serious, somber mood that has settled over their desks. So he adds, “And well, the face and legs are not the same thing.”

Amy cracks a small smile and she gets his drift, that he wants to lighten the mood, “Yeah, shaving your legs are much more difficult and a much larger surface area. Therefore, you should have no problem shaving your face.” She says it lightly, as if not sure how to really proceed.

“Ah, but do you see this rugged, chiseled jawline,” he juts out his chin, showing off his jaw. “I honestly wonder how I don’t cut it every morning.”

And with that they drop the conversation. He can tell she feels bad and that she didn’t mean to dredge up the bad feelings. The same way he didn’t mean to make her feel bad for something he has no control over.

They don’t really talk for the rest of the day

* * *

Jake leaves earlier than usually and no one really stops him.

He was only doing paperwork and awkwardly avoiding looking at Amy all day so he figured he might as well just get out of there.

He ended up at Shaw’s because drinking alone in a bar was not as sad as drinking alone in his apartment. He was a beer and a half in when Amy showed up.

“Hey, I wanted to talk to you but you bolted at the first chance you got.” She looks like she wants to add something, “And I didn’t really want to talk about it at the precinct.”

Jake doesn’t really look up, he just continues to pick slightly at the label on his bottle before bringing it to his lips again.

She sits down next to him, the bartender comes over, “I’ll have whatever he’s having.”

“What do you want Amy?”

“Well, first I wanted to apologize for this morning, I genuinely didn’t know. I asked Charles about it because I didn’t know if it was because he was dead or…” She trails off but he knows what she means. She means the worse of the two options.

That his dad didn’t really want him.

“It’s ok, Amy. I know you didn’t know. It’s just today is hard to begin with and you kind inadvertently twisted the knife.”

The bartender came back with her beer and she took it mumbling a thanks to him.

“Didn’t make me feel any less bad.” She says taking another swig.

“Amy, he’s the jackass probably banging a flight attendant right now. Probably could give a rat’s ass that it’s Father’s day.” He tells her, taking another swig of the beer and letting the alcohol really settle in his stomach.

“I know but if it’s any consolation, your mom did a pretty great job.” That earns her a smile, as he continues to pick at the label again.

He decides to turn and look at her, “Oh, I know she did.” She chuckles softly and for the first time all day, Jake actually feels better.

* * *

 

“Hey Captain, can I have tomorrow off? Now, I know normally I full heartedly agreed to work all Father’s days for the rest of eternity back when you started working here, but Amy has made these insane plans and I know she already asked off months ago because she’s _Amy._ But if I tell her I have to work this Father’s day I genuinely think she might kill me and I actually don’t want-”

“Peralta, sit.” Holt interrupts his rambling and points to the sofa. “I already didn’t schedule you.”

Jake moves to sit on the sofa, “What? But I told you I’d work all-”

“Peralta, you’re going to be a parent. You're not the one celebrating anymore. You are the one _being_ celebrated. You deserve the day off.”

“Thank you sir.” Jake moves to get up. His hand is on the door, when Holt decides to add,

“Also Amy called about 5 times to make sure you had the day off because she does indeed have plans.” Jake smiles to himself as he walks out of his office.

 


End file.
